Overview & Reviews

One of America's most storied automotive brands, Dodge has been around since the early days of the auto industry. In the past couple of decades, it has revitalized itself to be a producer of aggressively styled and performance-oriented vehicles.

Two brothers, Horace and John Dodge, began the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle company in 1914, after having worked as manufacturers of bicycles and automotive parts. Their first vehicle was a touring car that proved a fast favorite with car buyers; it was soon joined by a roadster and a four-door sedan. By 1917, the company's model line had grown to include trucks. Dodge cars and trucks were used as staff vehicles and ambulances in World War I.

Dodge was briefly owned by a banking firm and subsequently sold by its new owner to the Chrysler Corporation in 1928. From there, the brand slowly evolved into the division responsible for trucks and performance-oriented cars. Post WWII, Dodge introduced vehicles like the military-inspired Power Wagon truck, Hemi-powered Coronet and the Royal Lancer; in addition, the manufacturer began offering dealer-installed air-conditioning.

Vehicles like the Dodge Dart and the Coronet kept the manufacturer in American driveways throughout the 1960s. That decade also saw the launch of one of Dodge's most iconic vehicles, the Charger. Dodge's muscle car was based on the Coronet platform, and featured a fastback roof line, hidden headlamps and a full-width taillamp panel. Best of all, the Charger could pack one heck of a wallop under the hood. A 318-cubic-inch V8 was standard, but buyers seeking maximum brawn could upgrade to a 426-cubic-inch, 425-hp Hemi V8. The company also introduced a Mustang-fighting pony car, called the Challenger, in 1970.

As with other American auto manufacturers, Dodge's fortunes started to slip in the '70s due to changing tastes and increased competition. The company was saved from extinction in the early '80s thanks to government loans and the sales success of its Omni and Aries economy cars (the former an attempted copy of the VW Rabbit). But 1984 was when Dodge made its mark in the history books with the introduction of the wildly popular Caravan. Ideal for families and able to seat up to seven, the space-efficient Caravan started a whole new vehicle segment -- the minivan.

The early '90s saw the company wow the public with the V10-powered Viper roadster and an all-new Ram pickup that set a new standard for big-rig-like styling. A few years later, Dodge came to be part of DaimlerChrysler, a result of the merger of the German company Daimler (owner of Mercedes-Benz) and Chrysler.

The merger never really worked, however, and Daimler sold Chrysler and Dodge to a private equity firm in 2007. Soon after, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy. The federal government intervened and eventually Dodge came under control of Fiat, a European automaker known for its small cars, an area where Dodge's entries had been roundly criticized for mediocre build quality and unrefined performance.

More recent years have seen Dodge concentrate on the more practical vehicles in its lineup, making notable improvements to the performance and overall quality of its midsize Avenger sedan and Journey SUV entries. Dodge also spun off its truck line, making it a separate Ram brand. But make no mistake; Dodge is still considered Chrysler's performance division thanks to cars like the Challenger and Charger. Time will tell how successful Dodge's latest makeover is.

User Reviews:

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  Nice Car - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By pikrob - July 29 - 2:00 am

  The Intrepid is a nice car, handles well, and is good on gas for the size, at the time it was the only car in the 20K price range that offered seating for six. unfortunately the bench seat was only available with the 2.7L engine.

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  Fun car, but has some downfalls - 2001 Dodge Neon
  By jonjon5000 - July 29 - 2:00 am

  I drove a Neon for the past 3 months, and just upgraded to a Caddilac Catera. The Neon is as fast or faster than the 3.0L Catera with 200hp!! Handles awesome, and saved me from some fishtailing. Good, cheap car. Not smooth, though. American muscle without foreign finesse. Spacious trunk and interior. Fun to drive, but not too much comfort.

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  Well worth the investment - 1993 Dodge Caravan
  By virginianx10 - July 27 - 2:00 am

  We have bought several of these and they have all performed well. This one has broken down only once in ten years. We are keeping it as a pick up vehicle for our company. We made the mistake of getting light blue paint, which failed, the only real problem with the vehicle.

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  Dont Count you chickens - 1997 Dodge Avenger
  By Fsucrys - July 27 - 2:00 am

  When I bought this car, it was wonderful. I had no problems for the first 2 years. About 4 years into the life of the car it started falling apart. The poeple at the Dodge dealership know me by first name now. I have to have my spark plugs changed 2 times in a year. My battery is constantly shorting out. My drivers side door handle is broken. Im having transmission issues and last but not least currently my car is overheating. Word to the wise DO NOT BUY THIS CAR unless your a mechanic

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  Love it!!!! - 1994 Dodge Intrepid
  By Carol Ann - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Even though I bought a 2000 Intrepid, I still love to drive this one. (it is paid off) It is still reliable and I have not put much money into it.

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  Dodge Intrepd - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By CKat - July 26 - 2:00 am

  We have 120,000 miles on our Intrepid and have few complaints. The speed sensor was just replaced this month ($200) and other than oil changes and tires, weve had very little expenses. Very satisfied with performance and maintenance.

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  Intrepid - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By Swampy - July 26 - 2:00 am

  While not flashy, the Intrepid has been a comfortable, reliable vehicle and very suitable for extended driving.

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  So far, not bad.... - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By DandJ - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Have owned for 1 year. No major problems thus far, a few minor ones. Check engine light after one month, covered by warranty. Clunking noise in front end, link bar. Front rotors warped at 40,000 mi., replaced. Thats it so far for repairs. Windshield fogs up more than any vehicle weve had. Ditto for static buildup, touching doors while exiting will light you up every time. Windows squeak horribly while going up. Transmission can shift a bit rough when cold. Engine has performed well, but Im nervous about 2.7s shady history. Many failures, particularly in 98s and 99s. Very prone to sludging up, make certain oil changes are done on time, every time.

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  Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By Carol Ann - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Ok. I have a 94 Intrepid. We loved it so much we kept it and bought a 2000 Intrepid. What a sleek design. And roomy too. Great family car. Doesnt give you the "mommy" look. Very sporty feeling to it.

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  Lots of Room - 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Kevin - July 25 - 9:00 am

  We traded in our SUV for this Dodge Caravan, and was impressed by the room in this vehicle. The "Stow and Go" feature is incredible, this vehicle can go to family van to cargo van in the blink of an eye. There is some road noise with this vehicle, that bothers my wife, but not me. The stock stereo is pretty good for what we use it for. The radio controls are on the steering wheel, and the seats are comfortable. We are happy that we chose the Grand Caravan SXT, as our family is growing, and we love to take road trips.